HOGS haul holiday cheer for area children

“I want a horsie and toys from Santa Claus,” the 4-year-old said, covetously eyeing a table piled high with plush stuffed ponies waiting to be claimed by the 170 children who had been invited to attend the Harley Owners Group Toys Run on Ocala’s downtown square on Sunday.

Chiya was not disappointed. She not only got her pony, she walked away with a My Sweet Love doll and a Lalaloopsy Littles medical set thanks to the generosity of the bikers and their passengers, who each brought a toy or donated $5 to provide a day of fun for kids who receive social services from Kimberly’s Cottage, Camelot or Marion County Children’s Alliance.

The more than 500 bikers who participated not only provided the loot, they provided the excitement. The bikers rode as a group from Harley-Davidson of Ocala off U.S. 441, another sponsor, to the downtown square. They roared on their shiny bikes escorted by police with sirens blaring and pulled up to the square providing a grand entrance for Santa Claus. Santa and Mrs. Claus, pulled up the rear on a glistening red Harley-Davidson bike ready to hand out the goodies to a square full of waiting children.

Before they arrived, though, the kids were treated to hot dogs, chips and drinks furnished by the city of Ocala, whose Recreation and Parks Department also entertained the kids with games. Recreation and Parks’ Felicia Maxwell was supervising the jumbo checkers game and bean bag tic-tac-toe while other kids jumped clumsily in sack races and threw horseshoes, while anticipating you-know-who’s arrival. Forest High School’s ROTC members provided helping hands as well.

Elyza Guerrios, 5, who attends kindergarten at South Ocala Elementary, and her baby sister, Arianna Torres, 3 months, were there with their mom, Melissa Garcia.

Steven was there with his sister, Cathryn Lewis, 7, another Oakcrest Elementary student, and his uncle, Shaon Zimmerman.

“See the ponies over there? That’s what I want,” Lewis said.

The ponies, all donated by Wells Fargo, were a hit. John Rising, a volunteer, was relaying the ponies to Santa as fast the jolly man could hand them out, after posing for photos with Mrs. Claus and each child.

“The adults want them,” Rising said about the ponies. “We have to tell them they are for the kids.”

Hundreds and hundreds of toys were displayed, from which from which each child was able to choose.

HOGS members Steve “Porkchop” Cookinham and Bea Newhart said any leftover toys would be given to other charitable organizations in the Ocala/Marion County Community.

Calvin Durden, president of the Get Ghost motorcycle club, said this was the first time his group had participated in the event. Get Ghost was the largest club that participated on Sunday and the club walked away with a plaque recognizing its contribution.

“I love it,” Durden said about the event, as giddy children, their arms loaded with toy walkie-talkies and footballs and pretty dolls skipped, jumped and twirled by.

The bikers seemed to be enjoying the day as much as the kids they were aiming to please.

Dan and Dianne Anderson, who each rode their own Harleys in the Toy Run, participate almost every year.

“To help the people that are less fortunate,” was Dan Anderson’s reason.

Jeff and Patti Cole rode in on their ’07 softtail deuce Harley.

“It’s a great day for the kids and it’s a time for everybody to get together to start the Christmas season,” Jeff Cole said.

Don Harrison, a biker from Golden Ocala, said if you treat the children well now and give them a good education, they will become tomorrow’s leaders.

“These kids are well deserving,” he said. “If you make them happy for a few minutes and feel good about themselves — you can’t put a price tag on that, can we?”

Not if you ask Santa, who sometimes is called Guy Mongello by his fellow HOGS.

“It went really well this year,” said Santa, who spearheaded the day’s events. “We are taking care of a lot of children.”

And more kids will receive a gift this year. There were still plenty of toys left after all the kids got to choose their toys on Sunday, and those will be distributed to other area charities this week.